Seamstress to the stars opens sewing-inspired cafe in Lincoln

Construction started this week on 33 new affordable homes in Heckington near Sleaford.

The houses will be built by Lindum Construction on land off Kyme Road, on behalf of North Kesteven District Council.

Work began on Monday, January 25 and is expected to be completed by spring 2022.

It will follow on from the construction of 22 homes on Welchman Way, also completed by Lindum, in 2016.

The development off Kyme Road follows on from the construction of 22 homes on Welchman Way in 2016. | Photo: Lindum Group

The new builds will be accessed via the same road as the previous project, with each house having its own garden space and private parking provision.

There will be eight one-bedroom flats, 16 three-bed houses and nine two-bed houses in the £4.7 million council funded project.

The viewing platform looking out onto Brayford Pool will be brought back into use next month as work continues on a project costing close to £40,000.

It’s expected to be completed by mid-February after it’s been blocked from use for almost five years due to being unsafe.

It’s in the same location where controversial plans for a second floating restaurant were rejected by the city council’s planning committee in 2016.

It was then overruled by the government’s planning Inspectorate 13 months later after a successful appeal by The Brayford Trust and Investors in Lincoln. However, as landlords, the city council rejected the plans.

As part of the discussions, the city council proposed an annual grant of £25,000 for The Brayford Trust to carry out dredging and improvement works.

Designs for the floating restaurant on the Brayford. | Photo: Stem Architects

A further grant of around £38,900 has been allocated to the trust by the city council for works on the new viewing platform.

Gelder Group won the tender for the project and started work in the second week of January on the platform.

David Rossington of The Brayford Trust told The Lincolnite the main aspect of the project is making the area safe, as some of the foundations were coming away.

New boards will be put in and extra protection underneath to make them safe, ready for the platform being available for public access.

Once complete, the platform can also be used at events and for outdoor performances.

The platform has fallen into disrepair and was closed off in 2015 due to safety concerns. | Photo: The Lincolnite

Mr Rossington, who has been involved with the trust for seven years, told The Lincolnite: “The trust is delighted to bring the viewing platform back into use.

“It was unused for a number of years for safety reasons and will come back again for the public. It will be there for the enjoyment of the Lincoln public as they walk along the Brayford.”

A spokesperson for City of Lincoln Council said: “The city council provides The Brayford Trust with an annual grant of £25,000 to help them keep the pool safe and attractive for visitors and users.

“This year, in addition to the grant, we have provided the trust with a further £38,900 for remedial work on the viewing platform which will ensure its ongoing safety and accessibility.

“These funds help us fulfil our landlord obligations to the Pool, with the works being undertaken by the trust on our behalf.”

Phase two of the works at Speakers’ Corner in Lincoln is well underway and expected to finish on schedule this summer.

Phase two, which began on Monday, January 11, will see existing paving upgraded, as well as new street furniture being installed.

It will follow the first phase which was completed and open to the public on December 22, with a new bench put in place around the existing London Plane tree, instead of the demolished kiosk.

Speakers Corner bench is in place, but closed off until phase two paving works are finished. | Photo: The Lincolnite

Site setup for phase two is complete, with workers on site currently digging out the existing hard paving standings at the Cornhill.

A large portion of the area has been fenced off while work takes place, leaving just two pedestrian strips on either side to access both the High Street and the Cornhill Quarter.

There is limited access in the area while works take place. | Photo: The Lincolnite

Despite the cold and wet weather throughout January, progress of the paving removal has not been affected.

This means that phase two works are still on course to be finished in summer this year.

It is hoped that once the area is completed, the walkways will blend in with those at Exchange Square, as well as utilising the space for events.

A look at how the finished development will look. | Illustration: City of Lincoln Council